Miss Georgia Peach pageant picks new crop of queens

The Miss Georgia Peach pageant was held March 12 to pick the young women who will serve as ambassadors for the 2016 Georgia Peach Festival. The pageant is held annually on the campus of Fort Valley State University.

The pageant is open to contestants from across Georgia and comprises titles of Miss Georgia Peach, Teen Miss Peach, Junior Miss Peach, Little Miss Peach and Tiny Miss Peach. Along with serving as ambassadors for the Peach Festival they perform other civic duties in Peach County. They also annually meet with the governor and are recognized by the state Senate and the House of Representatives to help promote the peach industry.

India Cheek from Hawkinsville was crowned Little Miss Georgia Peach. Along with her new Peach title, India is the reigning Little Miss Warner Robins and the reigning Little Miss Telfair County Forestry. India has held numerous other titles as well.

A third-grader at Fullington Academy in Pinehurst where she has all A's and is a top AR points student, India held the school's young Miss Fullington title last year. She takes golf and tennis lessons and is active at her church, First Baptist of Hawkinsville, where she is a member of the children's choir and the Wednesday Night Wild activities. She is part of the Miss Georgia princess program as well.

As part of her competition in the Peach pageant, India had to give a speech on any topic. India choose to speak on the most important person in her life -- her twin sister Clare Frances.

India said she enjoyed doing pageants and was surprised to hear her name called out as winner at the Miss Georgia Peach pageant.

"They are fun to me," India said. "I like getting dressed up and I like picking out my dresses for the pageants."

As a Peach Queen, India will help represent the peach industry for the next year.

"I like peaches. They are sweet and yummy. My new favorite color is peach," said India, who also said her favorite way to eat peaches was peach ice cream.

Lizzy Stanford of Cuthbert was crowned Miss Georgia Peach as well as photogenic and interview winner. Other winners in the Miss category were: Montana Cotton of Statesboro, first runner-up; Aligail Holtzhouser of Hawkinsville, second runner-up; Amanda Lawler of Lyons, third runner-up; and Caitlin Gillikin of Unadilla, fourth runner-up and talent winner.

The pageant marked the fourth time Lizzy Stanford was crowned a Peach Queen. She has also held the titles of Little, Junior and Teen Miss Peach Queen and was first runner-up at the Miss Georgia's Outstanding Teen pageant in Columbus last year.

In the other categories, the winners and runners-up were:

2016 Tiny Miss Georgia Peach: Bella Grace Sanders of Forsyth, Tiny Miss Georgia Peach and prettiest hair winner; Summer Sinyard of Hawkinsville, first runner-up, prettiest smile and eyes; Lila Langford Kluge of Musella, second runner-up; Morgan Causey of Vienna, third runner-up; and Lindy Hair of Hawkinsville, fourth runner-up, photogenic winner and prettiest dress.

2016 Little Miss Georgia Peach: India Margaret Cheek of Hawkinsville, Little Miss Georgia Peach and photogenic winner; Kailey Burress of Perry, first runner-up; Ameila Anne Reed of Leesburg, second runner-up and prettiest hair and eyes; Lexi Belle Hardy of Hawkinsville, third runner-up and talent winner and prettiest dress; Brynn Elizabeth Owens of Elko, fourth runner-up; Kaylee Higdon of Macon, prettiest smile winner.

2016 Junior Miss Georgia Peach: Averi Lauren Smith of Americus, Junior Miss Georgia Peach, prettiest hair and talent winner; Lydia Anne Love of Americus, first runner-up and photogenic winner; Kalin Moultrie of Marietta, second runner-up; Paris Olivia Biery of Leesburg, third runner-up and prettiest smile and eyes; Ellie Angley of Perry, fourth runner-up and prettiest dress.

2016 Teen Miss Georgia Peach: Ashley Moore of Oglethorpe, Teen Miss Georgia Peach and interview winner; Lillian Grace Lord of Dudley, first runner-up and photogenic winner; Emily Rowland of Warner Robins, second runner-up; Laura Leigh Miller of Blairsville, third runner-up and talent winner.

Alline Kent can be reached at allinekent@cox.net or 396-2467

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 9:55 PM with the headline "Miss Georgia Peach pageant picks new crop of queens ."